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PressTalk for Feb. 19
- Thu, Feb, 19, 2004
• We were very disappointed to read in (a recent) farragutpress (Feb. 5) that the local principals of our local schools are against healthy vending machines in the schools. I particularly could not believe the Farragut High School administrator’s comment as if this was a form of punishment, removing vending machines. I do think there’s a better answer than outlawing vending machines. They need to be loaded with water, juice, healthy snacks like nuts, whole grain crackers, fruit. There are such things. I cannot believe that our administrators are so petty as to be selling their souls for this money. It’s blood money.
• I was dismayed to see such a limited vision expressed by County Mayor Mike Ragsdale regarding the overcrowded Farragut schools. He immediately ruled out the option of a building moratorium by using an inane analogy. Builders have plenty of options to build outside of Farragut’s boundaries. No one is denying them a right to a living. Consideration of a building moratorium is a valid option to consider. I’m not saying it’s the best one, but it does deserve more than a smart aleck remark by a politician who has obviously gotten more than his fair share of campaign dollars from the developer community. Speaking of good ideas, when can we take the county commission out of the school business? Why shouldn’t our elected school board have say-so over the expenditure of dollars on our schools? Why must Farragut grovel and play political games with other parts of Knox County to alleviate an immediate problem?
• I very much enjoy receiving my farragutpress every Thursday, and in fact I read it from cover-to-cover. It’s full of the news I want to read about, learning about the community where I live. Next to Cherie Kimmons’ column, presstalk is my favorite feature. It gives us Farragut residents an opportunity to share our thoughts and ideas. However, I would like to offer a suggestion. When you print engagement and wedding announcements, please put them all on the same page without cutting them in half (jumping them) and having part of it be on another page. It’s very helpful when brides and their mothers want to save these articles to put in scrapbooks and bride’s books, to have the article together. I do like having the pictures of the couples in color, that is a very nice addition.
• I just would like to suggest a business idea for the empty Kmart. My daughter has mentioned over time-and-time again, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have a really nice bowling alley there?” It’s centrally located for the schools and would offer a lot of opportunities for the kids who aren’t really close by. Also, we were just sick to learn of Northern Exposure closing their doors. And also we thought it would be nice to have a Bel-air (Grill) restaurant adjacent to a bowling alley in the Kmart. There’s a tremendous business opportunity there just waiting for someone to have the energy to address it. OK Farragut, let’s pull out your pocket book and let’s see something happen.
• As an Andover resident I am very concerned about the speeding that continues to be a problem in our neighborhood. We have contacted the police, we have requested all kinds of help from them but it doesn’t seem to do any good. The residents keep speeding. As a neighborhood that is continually having younger families move in with small children, I’m concerned that this is going to be a disaster one day. Some little child is going to get run over because the residents, the workers, are going 50 and 60 miles (per) hour down our street. I think it’s something that really needs to be looked at by Farragut and (the Knox County) Sheriff’s Department. And especially something that needs to be considered by the residents that live here who continue to drive at breakneck speeds through our neighborhood. Don’t let a little child be killed or hurt because you were in such a hurry and didn’t have time to slow down. I think I’m not the only one that feels this way in Andover.
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